The SETS (Social Economy Transition Skills) project is not only about equipping learners with green and digital skills—it’s also a policy-influencing initiative that strengthens the European social economy from the ground up. With its roots in the Horizon Europe framework and direct alignment with strategic EU priorities such as the European Skills Agenda, the European Innovation Agenda, and the Pact for Skills, SETS stands out as a prime example of how training can drive policy change.
SETS’ courses are designed to meet real-world needs, ensuring a seamless connection between training provision and policy targets. This includes supporting the European Year of Skills 2023, strengthening the implementation of the Transition Pathway for Proximity and Social Economy, and contributing to the green and digital targets outlined in the EU’s Digital Decade programme.
The project takes a data-informed approach to influence. All training programmes are accompanied by rigorous monitoring and evaluation, captured through a real-time, ICT-powered dashboard. This tool enables SETS to measure learning outcomes, the impact of professional development, organisational improvements, and the scalability potential of training models. Metrics and findings from this dashboard inform the policy recommendations being developed for EU institutions and national policymakers.
Moreover, the SETS consortium—comprising pan-European organisations such as ALL DIGITAL, Diesis Network, and TIRESIA—engages directly with EU platforms and working groups. These engagements ensure that lessons learned from training implementation and learner feedback contribute to ongoing EU discussions on adult education, digital literacy, and sustainability transitions.
Importantly, the policy recommendations generated by SETS will advocate for broader adoption of ecosystemic training models, improved certification frameworks, and funding alignment for skill development in SEOs. The final recommendations will serve as a blueprint for future EU-funded projects targeting social innovation and inclusive growth.
By bridging the gap between training content and policy impact, SETS demonstrates how education and skills development can serve as powerful levers for systemic change.
Explore how SETS contributes to Europe’s inclusive digital transformation at sets-project.eu.
